| Author | Message | ||
     Just The Aunt Supporter Username: Auntof13 Post Number: 5065 Registered: 1-2004  |
Psycho Isn't your church the one that IHM merged with? | ||
| Glock 17 Citizen Username: Glock17 Post Number: 930 Registered: 7-2005  |
Oh ho ho. Now people are getting rude. | ||
| mjh Supporter Username: Mjh Post Number: 529 Registered: 5-2001 |
Psychomom You don't seem to want to discuss, listen, or hear the experience of any others who live in Maplewood. You just want to pontificate and let all of us know how much we fall short of your expectations. None of us have said that Maplewood is the ultimate diverse, harmonious community. But many of us see it differently than you do. Many of us come from communities that are very, very segregated, and Maplewood looks pretty good in comparison. There are many indications (including MOL conversations)of racism within our town. No one is claiming perfection, but I think it's very fair to say a lot more effort is being made here than in many other communities. You could do a lot to honor diversity by respecting diversity of opinion and points of view. I'd recommend taking Twokitties advice seriously. | ||
| Nohero Supporter Username: Nohero Post Number: 5397 Registered: 10-1999  |
The first post in this thread was about race. I can't imagine how people who disagree with the premise of this thread, could possibly have responded without mentioning race. I don't think it's fair to then criticize them, by claiming that they are "keeping score" about race, or "pigeonholing people". They were responding to an opinion, and showing why they disagreed. As for the premise of this thread - I believe that the people who stay here, or who are moving here, are a better indication of the views of the community, than people who you think are moving out for racial reasons. | ||
| Rastro Citizen Username: Rastro Post Number: 3150 Registered: 5-2004  |
Though I live in South Orange, I say, if people are leaving because they don't want to live near black people, let 'em move. They're leaving, so they are not the Maplewood that remains. The people who move in will be less bigoted. | ||
| Scully Citizen Username: Scully Post Number: 478 Registered: 8-2005 |
Glock: 'everyone tries to rationalize'.. It's not 'rationalizing' if you're stating your own experience. It's your own slice of the truth! I've lived in the Clinton area for about 25 years. I'd say my neighborhood is about 50/50 black and white (never took an actual head count, that's just how it feels to me) and it's been 'stable' for as long as I can remember. DEFINITELY different from all the other towns I've lived in (all in Essex county). Psychomom: You must be talking about other parts of town because I have trouble thinking of my neighborhood's 50/50 as token anything (if that's not diverse..). It may not seem perfect to you or anyone else but it's a damn sight better than the world I grew up in. Gotta start somewhere. Your philosophy seems to be 'if you can't do it perfectly then don't try...'? I guess that it's at least commendable that you care. | ||
| John Beltsos Citizen Username: Belts_boy Post Number: 181 Registered: 4-2004 |
Why is this thread predominantly about blacks? Psychomom started ranting about diversity. Are blacks a little bit psyched up on this? Maplewood is extremely diverse: my daughter's school picture shows a mixed bag of races, colors and and shapes. At our block party - in the classy part of Maplewood between Maplewood Av. and Wyoming Av. - we had whites, blacks, Indian (from India), a lesbian couple, foreigners, Catholics, Jews, young couples, seniors, and we had all one thing in common: drink heavily and have a good time. What else do you want? | ||
| LW Citizen Username: Lrw Post Number: 143 Registered: 10-2005 |
"the classy part of Maplewood..."-Is that supposed to be a joke? | ||
| bettyd Citizen Username: Badjtdso Post Number: 245 Registered: 12-2005 |
Psychomom starts a thread saying diversity in M is a joke, and says if a family of color moves in the neighborhood you see for sale signs go up, and that there are a "few" Maplewoodians who are "good and sincere". Then when people post and point out that that is not true in their experience and neighborhoods, those people have proved her point by "keeping score." You can't win with that logic. I first read this thread in amusement and said I'm not going to post because I don't want to walk into that punch. I could post the many reasons I beg to differ but feel it is futile. So punch away anyway. | ||
| Scully Citizen Username: Scully Post Number: 480 Registered: 8-2005 |
Beltsos: It's not 'all about blacks'! OK, I'll amend my 50/50 comment and admit that the blacks and whites include Christians, Jews lesbians, gays, two Asian families and one Hispanic. Maybe I didn't 'properly' list everyone originally because I don't normally think about it. These are all NEIGHBORS!!! All neighbors!!! I'm not used to dividing them up to 'prove' the worthiness of our neighborhood. Our 'diversity'. Maybe Psychomom lives in the 'wrong' part of town? Maybe this is all about choices SHE made? And in her guilt she has to make it someone elses fault? Just a thought. | ||
| Psychomom Citizen Username: Psychomom Post Number: 126 Registered: 5-2005 |
Scully, No my philosophy is not "if you can't do things perfectly don't try" I don't know where you got that from. See my original post in which I acknowledged the difficulty of achieving harmony but that it was still a goal to strive toward. John, I love it...drink heavily and have a good time...now that's my kind of neighborhood! MJH, no I am not pontificating anything. I am merely pointing out what I see as a disconnect between what people profess and the reality as I experienced it. If you look at my original post, I prefaced it by saying that this is my take and may not be everyone's experience. It's funny to me that I get accused of "pontificating" when I express my opinion and experience and yet everyone else can express their opinion without the mudslinging. The bad part of these postings is that you miss tone of voice and body language etc. Sometimes peoples words just don't quite convey the same thing that a conversation would. | ||
| John Beltsos Citizen Username: Belts_boy Post Number: 182 Registered: 4-2004 |
Sure! As juju's petals rightfully pointed out there is an Uptown Maplewood and a Downtown Maplewood. The classy part is on this side of the tracks, between Maplewood Av. and Wyoming Av. | ||
| Scully Citizen Username: Scully Post Number: 481 Registered: 8-2005 |
Again, maybe you should move to a section of town more to your liking. I'm loving it where I am and wouldn't in a million years consider my slice of Maplewood 'a joke'. Not perfect and never will be but head and shoulders over anyplace I've been, which is why I love and chose it! | ||
| Tom Reingold Supporter Username: Noglider Post Number: 14309 Registered: 1-2003  |
Rastro raises an excellent point. If people really are moving out in response to blacks moving in, that improves the neighborhood, and it makes this place less of a joke. It will lead to more tolerant people moving in. Psychomom still owes us an explanation of why she thinks the move-outs are a response to blacks moving in. Has she heard this explanation from those moving out? If not, I think it's highly cynical speculation. | ||
| greenetree Supporter Username: Greenetree Post Number: 7695 Registered: 5-2001  |
45. Wow. People in their 30s & 40s selling their houses because black people are moving in? I would not have thought that. I've noticed that some of the 30-somethings in our area have moved because they are having kids & wanted bigger houses. Must be the difference in our neighborhoods. RE: keeping count. I hadn't thought of it that way, but if that's how you want to do it, I need some advice: When counting in my neighborhood, if there is a lesbian/gay person who is a person of color, which category do I count them? Or do they count twice? And, would an interracial couple cancel each other out? | ||
| Dr. Winston O'Boogie Citizen Username: Casey Post Number: 2100 Registered: 8-2003  |
Really? Since when? We're not supposed to even notice someone's ethnicity? Or race? Or religion? Why not? I thought diversity was about being proud of ourselves and our repective differences. I like noticing what makes people different, and I respect when people have pride in their heritage. What kind of world would we have if we all strove to be so similar that all differences disappeared? maybe that's why you think our idea of "diversity" is a joke. I don't think too many people in our town have the elimination of differeces as their goal. | ||
| Brett Citizen Username: Bmalibashksa Post Number: 2334 Registered: 7-2003 |
No Greentree, they will not cancel each other out. As a matter of fact it increases the objectability that people have to them so they would be 1.5 times as bad. Then add in the gay part and it again doubles. 2 x 1.5 x 2 = 12 So that couple would have a cootie rating of 12, almost enough to bring down a whole street. | ||
| Brett Citizen Username: Bmalibashksa Post Number: 2336 Registered: 7-2003 |
BTW I know that only adds up to 6, but if other people can make up numbers so can I. | ||
| crabby Citizen Username: Crabbyappleton Post Number: 612 Registered: 1-2004 |
fuzzy math is the new math. This thread should be titled Fuzzy Math in Mplwd a Joke OR Jeffl of Mplwd Needs a Joke OR Joking in Maplewood when drinking Milk can cause Milk to come out of your Nose | ||
| Scully Citizen Username: Scully Post Number: 482 Registered: 8-2005 |
Psychomom; 'No my philosophy is not "if you can't do things perfectly don't try" I don't know where you got that from. See my original post in which I acknowledged the difficulty of achieving harmony but that it was still a goal to strive toward. I AM referring to your original post! You're complaining that 'it cracks me up when I hear someone say that they embrace the notion of diversity in town' so obviously we aren't doing somthing right. But we've started. Some of us are getting it 'right' and some aren't. Still better than noone trying. Greenetree: Right on! A daughter (my domestic partner and I have four between us)and I were just trying (again)to figure out how to 'tally up' our neighborhood to the satisfaction of someone like Psychomom. Black and white first comes to mind because it's the EASIEST. We've got mixed race families, gay and straight, various religions. Some people are going to count a couple of times over here... | ||
| Scully Citizen Username: Scully Post Number: 483 Registered: 8-2005 |
Brett: '..but if other people can make up numbers so can I.' I don't think people are so much 'making up numbers' as struggling to pin them down. See what I wrote to Greenetree above. How can you get 'solid' numbers when in the diversity game some people are going to 'count' in multiple areas? Besides, these people were all 'simply' neighbors before Psychomom made her 'joke' statement. For some reason it was that statement that hit me hardest. Maybe it's a joke in her neighborhood, but she referred to all Maplewood... | ||
| james brown Citizen Username: James_brown Post Number: 19 Registered: 5-2006 |
PSYCHOMOM, You are wasting your time babe, Maplewood is perfect, everybody loves everybody. I love reading about how much better the town is as people move out. You know, I haven't seen any of that. I would also remind you that racists come in every color, right??????????????????????????? | ||
| Psychomom Citizen Username: Psychomom Post Number: 127 Registered: 5-2005 |
James Brown: You are right on all accounts. Bless your little heart. | ||
| Tom Reingold Supporter Username: Noglider Post Number: 14313 Registered: 1-2003 |
No one is saying it's perfect, so you win a non-argument, James. Are you agreeing with psychomom when she implies that each house sale is a sign of racism? If so, then what does it mean when someone buys a house? (Thanks, Rastro.) | ||
| Tom Reingold Supporter Username: Noglider Post Number: 14314 Registered: 1-2003 |
Psychomom, please take a crack at my question to you. | ||
| Scully Citizen Username: Scully Post Number: 484 Registered: 8-2005 |
James Brown: So if it's not perfect don't try? It's NEVER going to be perfect! | ||
| MeAndTheBoys Citizen Username: Meandtheboys Post Number: 3762 Registered: 12-2004  |
Psychomom and james brown: birds of a feather? "It is what it is because I say it is. Everybody else is always wrong and I'm always right! There are no other valid points of view or experiences other than my own!" And you won't ever convince them otherwise. | ||
| Hamandeggs Citizen Username: Hamandeggs Post Number: 295 Registered: 8-2005 |
I also hope that discussions of where to move -- even if the range is limited to a few blocks -- are taken with a grain of salt. I'd also like to move, but staying in SO, in a house that's not gigantic, walking to the train, and remaining in the area zoned for my kids' school does limit me to a very small area. So for that reason, as well as others, I'm staying put! But if someone heard me talk about moving, without knowing all the details, it might sound like a putdown of the rest of our community. It's not!! | ||
| The Notorious S.L.K. Citizen Username: Scrotisloknows Post Number: 1414 Registered: 10-2005 |
I can vouch for the Hilton Section that mostly 30 year old educated, diverse married couples from NYC with kids are moving in...that is all I have been meeting lately...the housing prices are crazy as well...4 houses around me went for 4 -SLK | ||
| Robert Livingston Citizen Username: Rob_livingston Post Number: 1892 Registered: 7-2004  |
Educated, diverse couples = Democrats. Sweet. Hopefully, they drive out the right-leaning psychos of Maplewood. | ||
| Gregor Samsa Citizen Username: Oldsctls67 Post Number: 517 Registered: 11-2002  |
RL-what a nice guy...I sure hope he doesn't get run over by a Republican driving his big SUV...what a great loss for humanity...NOT! | ||
| Robert Livingston Citizen Username: Rob_livingston Post Number: 1893 Registered: 7-2004 |
I stand by my comment about republican psychos. | ||
| Bob K Supporter Username: Bobk Post Number: 11543 Registered: 5-2001 |
Uhm, Robert, Notorious isn't exactly a liberal.  | ||
| Robert Livingston Citizen Username: Rob_livingston Post Number: 1894 Registered: 7-2004 |
I'm well aware. He is a lot of things, all of them negative and a direct list will get in trouble with the moderators, but a liberal he ain't. | ||
| notehead Supporter Username: Notehead Post Number: 3282 Registered: 5-2001  |
You know... psychomom may want to consider how well our area compares to other parts of the so-called civilized world. I was just on tour in Austria and Germany with a funk band. I was the only white guy in the band. Wherever we went, people stared at us like we had just landed from the moon. Some of the looks were purely curious, but many were outright malevolent, like we were doing something wrong just by being there. During the course of two weeks, we were stopped THREE times by the police and asked for our passports for no reason whatsoever. In Munich, three of the guys went to an area with a lot of clubs and were not let into literally FIVE clubs in a row. And how's this for irony: what kind of music were those clubs playing? Black funk. Maybe our little piece of the world could be better, but I think some perspective is in order, too. | ||
| Case Citizen Username: Case Post Number: 1589 Registered: 2-2005 |
Things could always be better, true... but who defines what is 'better'? I think there's a huge difference between tolerance and acceptance, and I'm sure there's an even bigger leap from acceptance to the "we're all the same, we all love each other like one big family" nonsense I'm seeing earlier in this thread. Where should the line be drawn? | ||
| The Notorious S.L.K. Citizen Username: Scrotisloknows Post Number: 1415 Registered: 10-2005 |
RL, And thank the Lord for that...  When you ready to have the b**ls to drive a "right leaning pyscho out of Maplewood" let me know, I'll forward you my address, tough guy... -SLK | ||
| Robert Livingston Citizen Username: Rob_livingston Post Number: 1899 Registered: 7-2004 |
What is your address, then? | ||
| The Notorious S.L.K. Citizen Username: Scrotisloknows Post Number: 1418 Registered: 10-2005 |
I'll e-mail it to you... | ||
| HOMMELL Citizen Username: Hommell Post Number: 181 Registered: 11-2005 |
Elwood: What kind of music do you usually have here? Claire: Oh, we got both kinds. We got country and western. Now that's diversity.} |
